This invention relates to an air mass flow controller in general, and more particularly to a diffuser in an air mass flow controller valve for fuel cells containing several flow passages, each controlled independently by an associated electromechanical actuating device.
It is believed that a fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. It is believed that oxygen, from air, passes over one electrode and hydrogen, from one or more storage device, passes over the other electrode, that, in a chemical reaction, generates electricity, water and heat.
The electricity generated by a fuel cell is believed to be regulated at least in part by the amount of air or oxygen delivered to the fuel cell. Where the fuel cell includes a plurality of fuel cell units, it is believed that there is a need to accurately regulate the amount of air or oxygen delivered to each fuel cell unit. It is further believed that the flow of air or oxygen passing through an air mass flow sensor must be laminar and equally distributed.
The present invention provides a diffuser for an air mass flow controller for fuel cells. The diffuser can be used to deliver laminar and equally distributed flow of air or any other gases to fuel cells. The diffuser includes a housing, an inlet, a first bank of outlets, and a second bank of outlets. The housing has walls, which define a volume. The inlet is disposed along a first axis and is coupled to a first one of the walls. The first bank of outlets is disposed along a second axis and is coupled to a second one of the walls. The first bank of outlets is in fluid communication with the inlet. The second bank of outlets is disposed along a third axis and is coupled to the second wall. The second bank of outlets is in fluid communication with the inlet and the first bank of outlets.
The present invention also provides a method of providing laminar and equally distributed airflow through a diffuser having walls defining a volume, an inlet coupled to a first one of the walls and being disposed along a first axis, first and second banks of outlets coupled to a second one of the walls, the first bank of outlets disposed along a second axis and being in fluid communication with the inlet, the second bank of outlets disposed along a third axis and being in fluid communication with the inlet and the first bank of outlets. The method includes flowing air through the inlet; flowing air through an interior of the housing; and directing air through the first and second banks of passages.